9/11 Pentagon memorial: To mourn and to honor’

Under a crisp blue sky reminiscent of the one over the Pentagon on the morning of Sept. 11, 2001, nearly 1,000 people gathered Sunday morning to remember the deadly events that took the lives of 184 people a decade earlier.

By Sean F. Driscoll

The Patriot Ledger, Quincy, MA

By Sean F. Driscoll

Posted Sep. 11, 2011 at 12:01 AM
Updated Sep 11, 2011 at 11:18 AM

By Sean F. Driscoll

Posted Sep. 11, 2011 at 12:01 AM
Updated Sep 11, 2011 at 11:18 AM

ARLINGTON, Va.

» Social News

Under a crisp blue sky reminiscent of the one over the Pentagon on the morning of Sept. 11, 2001, nearly 1,000 people gathered Sunday morning to remember the deadly events that took the lives of 184 people a decade earlier.

The ceremony, which lasted about an hour, included remarks from Vice President Joe Biden, Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta. Each man offered support and sympathy to the families of the deceased while reminding them of the stronger nation they left behind.

After the ceremony, attendees walked through the memorial garden, where a bench for every person killed that day has been installed as part of the memorial service.

Below are some words from the speakers and attendees of Sunday morning’s service.

Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

“No music can assuage, no tongue can suppress, no prayer alone may dampen the yearning that must fire yet inside of you. Lives ended in this place. Dreams were shattered. Futures were hastily altered. Hopes were tragically dashed. You come here, we all come here to remember those hopes and to mourn and to honor.”

“From this place of wrath and tears, America’s military ventured forth as the long arm and clenched fist of an angry nation at war. We have remained at war ever since, visiting upon our enemies the vengeance they were due and providing for the American people the kind of defense they demand.”

Leon Panetta, secretary of defense

“Even 10 years later, wounds are still present. Emotions are still raw. You always carry the memory of that day with you. In its aftermath we’ve shown strength and courage that embodies the character of America.”

“As we recall that day of tragedy and triumph, we remember it as a defining moment for all Americans. We were challenged by Al Qaeda and its vicious hatred aimed squarely at our values. They tried to weaken us. Instead, they made us stronger. In the aftermath, we came together to reaffirm those values, our shared values of liberty, equality, tolerance, fairness. Ten years later, we again affirm our commitment to those endearing beliefs.”

“Although words cannot ease the pain of these losses, paying tribute by recalling not just the horror of that day, but the heroism as well can hopefully give you some comfort. At 9:36 a.m., thousands of patriotic Americans were going about their daily business in the building behind me, in this great citadel of our national defense. One minute later, at 9:37, the unconscionable turned catastrophic.”

Donn Marshall, whose wife, Shelley, died in the Pentagon. Their two children, now 13 and 11, were at the Pentagon day care the morning of the attack.

Page 2 of 2 - “Somewhere along the way there was sort of a pivot to being thankful for having Shelley in my life. That takes up a little more space than the grief. I still grieve every day, but I look back on the years with her as very good years. It’s definitely bittersweet.”

“The hardest decision I had to make was to leave that day. I didn’t know if Shelley’s in there or in a hospital. Cellphones were useless, so there was no way to know. I couldn’t make the right decision, so I went to the kids. I thought Shelley would want me with them.”